Charles County schools warn accounting rules for Maryland’s Blueprint could force school‑by‑school waivers

Charles County Public Schools officials said at a Nov. 13 town hall that the state’s Blueprint for Maryland’s Future minimum school funding rule — which requires that 75% of certain funding “follow the student” — has created detailed, school‑level accounting requirements that are difficult to implement and may force the district to seek waivers from the Accountability and Implementation Board (AIB).

Superintendent Maria Navarro introduced the presentation and said the district will explain the funding structure and its implications. "The blueprint is not focused on equality. It's focused on an on equity," said Chris Miller, the district’s blueprint coordinator, describing the law’s intent to direct more resources to students with greater needs. Miller and Chief Financial Officer Karen Acton described the mechanics: MSDE and the AIB expect districts to report expenditures monthly to PowerSchool by the 15th and to show, by school and by funding source, that at least 75% of those funds are spent for the students the formula identifies.

Why it matters: District staff said the requirement that spending be tied to each funding category at each school—rather than aggregated at the school level—creates a substantial coding and workload challenge. Karen Acton said FY25 was treated as the baseline year; the district must show a 50% improvement in FY26 and 100% compliance in FY27 for these categories, or apply for waivers. "We have to apply for a waiver by December 1," Acton said, warning that the AIB could recommend withholding state funds for noncompliance.

Examples and implications: Presenters used recent redistricting and the opening of Thornton Elementary to show how enrollment shifts produced mismatches between a school’s assigned minimum funding and its actual enrollment. Miller said Berry Elementary’s minimum‑funding figure for this school year was set using last year’s enrollment of 666 students while actual enrollment is 540; Middleton Elementary’s assigned figure was 716 versus 437 actual students after redistricting. Those variances are the main reason the district is considering school‑by‑school waiver applications.

Accounting tradeoffs: District staff explained that many central purchases previously coded once (for economy of scale) must now be split and coded to multiple schools to prove the 75% student‑following requirement, a process that increases transaction volume and, in some districts, has required hiring additional finance staff. Acton described the work as “very tedious” and warned that staffing and coding changes are an unintended consequence that runs counter to the Blueprint’s goals.

AIB engagement and next steps: Chris Miller and board members said CCPS has lobbied the AIB and other districts for timing flexibility; the AIB is scheduled to meet later in the month and might consider modifications. Until any change is official, the district said it must prepare waiver materials under current deadlines. The board encouraged parents to review the district’s Blueprint web page, complete a public survey, and contact state delegates if they want legislative changes.

The town hall closed with board members reiterating support for the Blueprint’s intent while voicing concerns about the law’s implementation and reporting burdens. The board noted the district’s next work session is scheduled for Nov. 24 and that audited financials and other reports are posted on the CCPS website and BoardDocs.